Yep, it’s that time again.
Time for you to show off your blog pitching skills in a real-life battle deathmatch pitch session alongside your fellow freelance bloggers, for a chance to win big prizes.
In case you missed the previous Pitchfests, here’s how it works:
You pitch a fantastic blog post idea and we choose our favourite ones to publish here on Be a Freelance Blogger, with a top prize worth $880, including $100 cash, for the best pitch. (OK, not really cash — I’ll send it to you via PayPal or another online payment service.)
The total value of prizes in this Pitchfest is $3,240.00!
But the prizes aren’t the best thing about Pitchfest. The conversation is. Every pitch gets public feedback, so you can see how other bloggers pitch, learn to write better pitches yourself, and win more gigs.
If that sounds like fun, check out the rules (further down this post) and get your pitch on.
Your theme for this Pitchfest
This Pitchfest, the theme is evidence. Data from reports, surveys or experiments; quotes from experts, participants or witnesses; information that proves what you’re saying is true (or at least likely).
We want you to tell us how you’ll support the points in your pitch with evidence — what kind of evidence will you use, where will you get it from, and how will you present it?
And we have extra high-value prizes for the winners this time, too, so here’s the story of how that happened:
Not long ago, I surveyed Be a Freelance Blogger readers and asked, “Where are you at in your freelance blogging career? Is there anything else you’d like to tell me about your situation, problems and goals?”
When the answers came in, there was a lot of data for me to look at and try to understand. I created a spreadsheet of all the answers and tried to make a couple of simple charts, but it was kinda fiddly and some of my data was in a free-flow “type in your comments” format that really doesn’t work well for plotting on a graph.
Then an email showed up in my inbox that made it all super easy.
That email was from Displayr, a lovely company that’s created the solution to my problem. With a Displayr account, you can import or upload your data and they’ll automatically turn it into graphics of the most suitable kind. Here’s the bar chart Displayr made for my first question:
See those little arrows? They tell you which results are statistically interesting. Pretty cool, huh?
But what impressed me more was the way they automatically built a word cloud out of those free-form answers my spreadsheets couldn’t chart for me. Check this out:
So now I’m a happy bunny with my fast, easy way to look like an expert in data visualisation. 😉 And I want you to have the same experience, because graphics like this will make your blog posts doubly appealing to potential clients.
To give you the opportunity to create your own awesome data-based graphics, Displayr has donated a 1-year account for every winner in this Pitchfest. If you want more info about what a Displayr account does for you, check out their website.
Unnecessary disclosure: Displayr isn’t paying me, there are no affiliate links in this post, and I don’t profit from Pitchfest. I pay the other prizes out of my own pocket.
OK, let’s get on to HOW you can enter Pitchfest.
The rules
- Anybody can enter the contest by typing (or pasting) their pitch into the comments box at the bottom of this page.
- Only ONE PITCH per person, please.
- Follow the pitch format I’ll tell you in a moment.
- After you submit your entry, Sophie Lizard (that’s me, Be a Freelance Blogger’s founder) and Lauren Tharp (Be a Freelance Blogger’s guest post editor) will offer feedback to help you optimise your idea for this blog’s audience and improve your pitching skills.
- After you get our feedback, you can revise your pitch if you like and re-submit it by pasting it into a follow-up comment.
- If you win, we’ll ask you to send us a draft of at least 1000 words, so bear that minimum word count in mind when you pitch.
The prizes
- First prize value: $880. You win $100 for your guest post, paid on publication, plus a complimentary 1-year account with Displayr worth $780.
- Second prize value: $800. You win a one-month membership of our freelance blogger mentoring group in exchange for your guest post, plus a complimentary 1-year account with Displayr worth $780.
- Third & fourth prize value: $780 each. You win a complimentary 1-year account with Displayr in exchange for your guest post.
The deadline
- Submit your pitch before the end of Thursday, October 23rd, 2014.
- We’ll announce the winners on October 25th.
- If we choose your pitch, we expect you to deliver your first draft to Lauren by November 8th.
How to pitch
- Read our general guest blogging guidelines first, then come back here to submit your pitch.
- Start your pitch with a headline that makes us say, “Ooh, I want to read that post!”
- Follow the headline with the opening lines you’d use in the post. No less than 30 words, no more than 60. You DON’T need to write a whole post before you pitch — we’d like to give you feedback on your idea before you write it up.
- After the opening lines, give us no more than 6 subheadings you’ll use in your post.
- Follow each subhead with one or two sentences outlining the point you’ll make in that section of your post.
- For each subhead, tell us what kind of evidence you’ll use to support your point, where you’ll get the evidence, and how you’ll present it in your post: quotes, videos, images, or some other format? (Bonus points if you plan to use Displayr graphics — tell us about it!)
- Then explain in no more than 3 sentences who you are and why you’re the right person to write this post for Be a Freelance Blogger.
- Put your pitch in the comment box at the bottom of this page.
- Check the little box that says “Notify me of follow-up comments” so you’ll know when we’ve given you feedback.
- Submit your comment and if you followed all the steps above, you’re entered into the contest.
Extra tips
- Remember, we’re paying close attention to your evidence, sources and presentation. So put extra thought into what evidence you’ll use, explain where you’ll get it and how you’ll present it in your post. If you’ve already researched your topic, feel free to include source URLs in your Pitchfest entry.
- If you want to get a better idea of what Lauren and I are looking for in your pitch, study the pitches and responses in previous Pitchfests here, here, here, here and here.
OK, are you ready?
Let the Pitchfest begin! This contest is closed.
Rohi Shetty says
Sophie and Lauren,
Thanks for this wonderful contest. I’ve shared it far and wide. I’ll submit my pitch soon.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Looking forward to reading your pitch, Rohi! 🙂
Williesha Morris says
Yes! It’s back! Been waiting on this one. Will pitch soon.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Yay! Looking forward to reading your pitch, Willi. 🙂
By the way, you can see when the next Pitchfests are on my “Upcoming Events” calendar… http://laurentharp.net/upcoming-events As soon as I get the confirmed dates, I add ’em on there so people can prepare.
sarah says
Hi there Sophie and Lauren
please find my blog pitch below- just for your info – found you through Firepole Marketing- ABM group
Title: Blog Quake-
…Exploding the myth that blogging is an amateur pastime
Sub Head:Blogging Joins the Big Boys
Intro:
“So you’re a blogger? That must be fun, but it’s not exactly a job is it?”
Response….”ARGHHHHHH!!!!”
You’re a freelance blogger, ready to join the big time. To make an income from blogging, treat it like a business, with marketing know-how and tactics. Study the evidence, boost your blogging brain!
Sub head: Blogging is BIG Business
Point: Blog growth leading into why businesses that blog, MAKE MONEY!!!
• Hubspot marketing stats on Blog growth and visitors to blogs- pie charts/bar graphs
• Ignitespot infographic on the BlogConomy
• Blog Her survey of women and their trust/use of blogs in decision making
Mixture of graphs- pie charts and infographic styled points
Indented Sub Head to Blogging is Big Business: Blogging Blows Outbound Marketing out of the water
Point: The real value to revenue for a business that blogs as opposed to the low return on advertising that irritates and interrupts people’s entertainment (but the value of advertising smartly to bring in traffic)
• Stats on spend increase for businesses with blogs- variety of sources- Moz/Ignite/Neil Patel
• Datacracker graphs picking out the key stats of interest to a freelance blogger (other stats they can use to wow potential clients!!)
Sub Head: Be a Business Savvy Blogger
Point: The mindset shift for the freelance blogger- how to sell the idea to clients that blogging is crucial to their business – and then get paid for doing it! (NB all info can also be applied to their own niche blog)
QUOTE: “An ounce of strategy is worth a pound of tactics.” -Andy Crestodina, Orbit Media
• Stats on blog time vs money and using freelance bloggers
• Wow your client with target market knowledge-
• Example-
• Milennial Moms survey by Weber Shandwick- shows a specific influential group of buyers- aiming blog info at these buyers gets results- freelance bloggers need to show clients they have finger on the pulse of business
• Wow your client with copywriting knowledge
• e.g. Moz survey on headlines
Sub Head: 10 Mind Boggling Blog Stats you need to know!
Point: Why knowledge is power and how you can apply that to your own blogging
• 1 to 10 list demonstrating the power of lists! (Sourced from a variety of lists)
Sub Head: Blog Billionaires to Learn From ( this is an optional section)
Point: Imitation is sincerest form of flattery and how we should always learn from those around us – (useful section to increase outbound links in post)
• Summary of top bloggers in certain fields and styles e.g podcasters/video/infographic/content kings
Conclusion: Your Next Steps to Blog Brilliance
Point: Reading is not enough- now go out and take action!
• Summary and action steps to take from this article – wordcloud from datacracker- flow chart of steps to take
Phew- hope I have met post guidelines- this is my first go at pitching! Usually do it in response to client briefs…thank you for this opportunity.
Sarah
Sophie Lizard says
Hey Sarah, this looks awesome!
We still need your “who I am and why I’m the right person to write this for you” paragraph before we can officially accept your entry — please add it as a reply to this comment. 🙂
sarah says
Hi Sopie
oops- Who I am blurb below
Hi- I’m Sarah Vitale a freelance writer who has been working with clients from dentists to Law of Attraction gurus for the last 4 years.
I have written everything from Amazon product reviews to articles on handling difficult teens and posts on SEO for an SEO expert!
I have also written personal blogs in the relationships sector, food GMO area, back problems and IM field from Blogger to WordPress.
My primary work has been in creating SEO friendly and engaging blog posts for a variety of clients and though my efforts I have increased the traffic and email lists of all of my clients! I write for their blogs, create Facebook pages and work with them on re-branding their sites and product creation ( several ebooks published).
I am currently working on a major launch for a client in the LOA field while re-branding my own site and social media to offer publishing and writing services to a wider audience of SME’s.
I have a degree in Business and my background is 15 years B2B sales and Marketing and 20 years in Education teaching Business and IT.( I even got published by the TES on their blog)
I recently took early retirement to focus on full time freelancing and am also writing children’s books (when my clients let me have the time!)
Hope this is the kind of information you want Sophie?
Sarah
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Good stuff, Sarah! Welcome to Pitchfest. 🙂
Sophie Lizard says
Ooh, I always loved reading TES when I worked in marketing research — I quantified ads in education, retail, and construction trade pubs for years.
Katherine Swarts says
Sarah, if you win this Pitchfest, I will permanently file the post’s “why blogging makes money” section for the benefit of every prospect who asks me why they should pay top rates when “anyone can do a little writing.”
sarah says
Thank you Katherine!
Whether I win or not- feel free to paste it in BOLD on your rates section in your site..:)
Sarah
Marianne Griebler says
Oh my gosh, yes. If I had a dollar for everyone who told me s/he was a writer, well, I’d be rich. Writing is a skill AND a talent that’s worthy of the appropriate compensation.
Daryl says
Coming with my pitches tonight! Get ready Sophie and Lauren!
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
I’m ready! Go for it, Daryl! 😀
Jamila Mustapha says
I’m surely going to give this one a try, been lurking long enough.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Lurk no longer, Jamila! We’re ready to read your best pitch. 🙂
Jazmin Malcolm says
Hi there, does it have to be blogging related? Or could it be evidence on anything? 🙂
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Your overall topic has to be blogging-related (we’re Be A Freelance Blogger, after all!), but there can be a little leeway with your evidence…
For example, if your topic is “Why Night Owls Make Better Bloggers” you could point to a study done on sleep habits that proves that late risers are more productive. Something like that.
Belle Walker says
One Simple Tool That Will Make Your Writing “POP”
As I made my way through The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting [references to AWAI can be omitted easily], one concept kept coming up – readability. Successful copywriters are not necessarily those with the best language skills taught in school.
We must speak to our audience. And sometimes that means breaking the rules of grammar and punctuation.
That’s why I was intrigued to learn that there is a way to measure readability.
Subheadings:
1. How I learned about Readability Statistics – master copywriter Malcolm Smith was featured in a recent issue of a trade publication for copywriters. He advised writing on a 5th to 8th grade level. His quote: “Microsoft Word’s readability statistics make it easy to measure.”
2. Readability statistics? Who knew there was such a thing? I certainly did not, so I googled it. I will insert a link to Microsoft Word’s Readability Statistics and how to use the tool.
3. I tested a piece that I had written before starting a copywriting course. Horrible results.
4. I tested readability statistics on a homework assignment from my copywriting course. The improvement was amazing. I had learned to use active vs. passive sentences, etc.
5. Explanation of the scoring terms. Passive Sentences. Flesch Reading Ease. Flesch – Kincaid Grade Level.
6. I will cleverly end with the Readability Statistics for the blog post – rest assured, they are fabulous.
Teaser line at the end: The Readability Statistics function of Microsoft Word measures other things as well. More on that subject next time!!
About me: I am Belle Walker, a young (in terms of experience) freelance copywriter. I began the AWAI course in May and, by July, had two “paying jobs” and several gratis engagements to build a portfolio. http://carollc.com is a good example of my writing. My website is http://www.copybybelle.com
Sophie Lizard says
I like this one!
Not everyone has or uses Word, though. If you win, we’ll need you to include links to a couple of online readability checkers. 🙂
And linking to AWAI is fine, by the way. I’ve heard good things about their copywriting courses – how’s it all working for you?
Belle Walker says
Thanks Sophie. The readability tool has truly been a godsend for me. I will never submit another written piece without using it.
Not a problem adding other readability checkers. Since I am most familiar with Word, I will need to do some research on other tools. Do you have any favs?
AWAI’s course was extremely helpful. And their support is good. My only complaint is that they try to sell you something every day…sometimes twice a day. Guess that’s kind of the point, though.
Have a good one.
Belle
Belle Walker says
Sophie, I have found several free on-line readability checkers. readability-score.com; online-utility.org; and readability formulas.com. I tested my text with all of these three and, while the scores vary slightly, for the most part they agree with the Word tool. I will definitely include these in my blog post, especially since my post needs to be a little longer.
Sophie Lizard says
Great! Thanks for letting me know, Belle. 🙂
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
So long as this pertains to the importance of readability for blog posts — and why freelance bloggers should focus on making their/their client’s blog posts more readable — this could be really good!
Belle says
Thank s for the feedback Lauren. Yes, this would definitely be custom-tailored for freelance bloggers. I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear.
Cherese Cobb says
My name is Cherese Cobb, and I am a freelance writer that lives in Maryville, TN. I have written for The Krazy Coupon Lady, Serving Joy, Take Lessons, Halloween Love, Maryville College, and Academia.
Sophie and Lauren,
I have been having trouble getting my idea on the blog, so I am breaking it down to see if it will post.
I am a Be a Freelance Blogger groupie, so I know the website well. I tried to answer cover some of the topics in the survey. Should I blog? How do I pitch? How do I find reliable sources? I would love to get stats on how many hours people study/write each week as well as the number of people who are afraid to pitch.
Katherine Swarts says
Hey, I submitted a KCL query last week! Maybe some of us could set up an online community to share information on who’s buying what; bet it would be more up-to-date than most “market guides.”
Hope that comment isn’t too off-the-subject. My real pitch will be on its way shortly. …
Cherese Cobb says
That would be awesome!
Cherese Cobb says
The Wonderful World of Blog: Which blogging personality are you?
In this post, I plan on discussing the faults of each blogging personality and how to fix it. I will watch the movie again. Yeah, who doesn’t like watching TV for work. Then I’ll flesh out the psychological profiles. (Bonus: Psychology was my major in college.) I’ll draw inspiration from real-life, articles, and interviews on the how to fix each personality issue.
Dorthy
You swept up in a tornado of knowledge. You study but never put pen to paper. You want to click those ruby slippers and go home. Maybe blogging isn’t for you.
Fix it:
I’ll talk about what it takes to be a blogger and why it you’ll never know everything.
The Scarecrow
You don’t have a brain, so you believe everything you read. You don’t know how to find reliable sources. You’re afraid of fire and can’t scare crows either. Oh, bother.
Fix it:
I am going to introduce readers to: Evernote, the PDF Invoice Generator, Business time, Google Scholar, and more.
The Tinman
You dont’ have a heart. You write everything in a manner-of-fact way.
Fix it:
I’ll give you tips and tricks that will help you write from your heart and win over audiences.
The Cowardly Lion
You’re are the King of the Forest, but you’re too afraid to send out pitches.
Fix it:
I’ll teach you how to bust your fears and how and where to pitch.
Glenda/The Good Witch of the North
You’re overly optimistic in your posts. Everything is glitter and bubbles with no-real feedback.
Fix it:
I’ll teach you how to use humor and be more realistic. Plus, you’ll learn to give full-fledged feedback.
Elphaba/The Wicked Witch of the West
You’re naughty not nice. You use sarcasm and all caps to get a point across. A Debbie Downer, it’s time to learn how to defy gravity.
Fix it:
I’ll teach you how to handle rude comments without being wicked. Plus, I’ll teach you when to use yelling and sarcasm.
The Wizard of OZ (This is who you want to be)
You can be bad or good. You use your brains, write with heart, and couragously send pitches. You put on a good show! Just watch out for hot air ballons and dogs.
Hope you like it,
Cherese R. Cobb
Sophie Lizard says
Hi Cherese!
I got your email with your source URLs — our comment spam filter probably panicked when it saw so many. 😉
This is a cool idea but the title didn’t really bring out the Wizard of Oz connection for me. I don’t think that’s a big issue, though — you could do the post without necessarily mentioning the Wiz in the title.
Cherese Cobb says
Thank you, Sophie. I decided to leave out the URLs, and it posted. Hey, at least we know the SPAM filter is working. I don’t think the title screams The Wizard of Oz to me either. Maybe Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Your Blogging Dreams.
Alicia Rades says
I like a “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” twist.
Cherese Cobb says
Thank you, Alicia.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Great stuff, Cherese! I love that you picked a theme and stuck with it — it gives your pitch both an overall cohesion and an element of fun. 😀
Cherese Cobb says
Thanks so much, Lauren!
Bal Rehal says
I have only just recently become a member of this great community and I would say it is exciting to be a part of a great writing team. So fears and laziness all set aside, here I come with my pitch.
This is just a brief idea of what I would like to include in my blog. I will post further ideas and examples after more research.
CREATING A SENSATION USING SMARTLY DRESSED FIGURES
A well pitched idea makes it to a blog; the further success of your blog depends on how convincing you can make it. Why compromise when there are simple ways to improve it. Outlines below are the 6 types of evidence which can strengthen your case, make it more convincing, interesting and also result achieving. Their use any time will turn your blog posts into little gems of great value.
1. Numbers are not only to be crunched
When we encounter percentages, figures and tables, we immediately interpret the idea being presented to be of some significant importance. Somebody had to carry out research in order to get to those figures.
2. Names of places, websites, people
This will outline the importance of lists in your blog. Writing about freelance blogging and including the names of sites will direct the readers to those important sites.
3. Expert opinion declares you are right
Including quotes from experts help to strengthen your case. Google can provide quotes, or interviews.
4. Specialized knowledge tells us more
If you are a specialist in a certain field, it means you know what you are talking about. Using data cracker to present your information in word clouds, graphs, tables, images, info graphics will give weight to your blog article.
5. Physical details or anecdotal evidence
Appealing to the five senses with stories and anecdotes will trigger a response from the inner self of whoever is reading your blog. Stories can be made up, real stories from personal experiences, popular stories told in a different voice or even your own personal experience with using the products or services which you are talking about.
6. Documentary evidence provides living proof
When you are blogging about historical events, stories, past happenings etc then evidence gathered from old photographs, diaries, writings, letters, invoices, old currency notes, coins, wills, printed emails, tape recordings are going to support your case.
I am a stay at home mum turned freelance writer. I have had a productive year and have been proud of my achievements. This is what I would like to do, thanks for the clients who believe in me and offer me repeat projects. (Whisper: I do work for content mills but thank God for your good advice – I think I should do better)
Sophie Lizard says
Nice idea, Bal. 🙂 What evidence will *you* use to support the points in your post if you win this contest?
I’d like to see a bit more information about how each of your points works specifically for freelance bloggers rather than blogging in general, too. How can they find the best, most reliable evidence to include in their clients’ blog posts?
Bal Rehal says
Hi Sophie, thanks for reading my post. I hope the following helps to answer your question a little more.
1. Numbers are not only to be crunched
Dates, times and years of specific events will help the readers to tie them to a particular time. This information can easily be obtained through interviews or through searching on Google. When talking about games the scores can be obtained by watching the match, from newspapers, news on TV and also live reporting. Specific measurements can be obtained from scientific studies in citing case reports. The number of books sold or read by an audience can be picked up from the publishers. The likes on face book show the popularity of an event, article, place or person.
2. Names of places, websites, people
The names of places can be obtained from the directories, online searches, interviewing people, the filling of forms, questionnaires and also looking at old maps. People can easily be searched for online on sites like linkedin, facebook, twitter and many others for interview purposes.
3. Expert opinion declares you are right
Experts are all around us. Online searches could be easier. Social media sites can allow direct access. However directories, word of mouth from friends and satisfied customers are more reliable. If your friends can recommend an expert to you then you are in more luck of having a successful interview, lunch, dinner or tea.
4. Specialized knowledge tells us more
Trained people who have had formal training in their fields are again all around us. Asking our relatives for their opinions on areas of their expertise can show us unique ideas which they believe in. A doctor can talk about the heart giving us a very in depth knowledge about the functioning. This makes for an interesting and informative health blog which will encourage us to look after our heart health through healthy eating.
5. Physical details or anecdotal evidence
Stories are all over the internet. However our friends, relatives, partners, colleagues talk about their own deeper feelings of certain events like child abuse, cheating partners and atheists. Listening carefully and questioning tactfully those we meet in our daily lives can reveal interesting facts and stories which have not been written down yet. Consumer feelings after having bought certain items can be related through their feelings of happiness, disgust and excitement. It is through talking and engaging with other people that the size, feel, taste, touch and smell of products can be related on your blog to increase its appeal to others. Consumer feedback is easily obtained these days by the numerous product reviews online.
6. Documentary evidence provides living proof
Unpublished works from popular authors can be obtained through searching in the library archives. This will support stories about their struggles and how they have developed their writing style. Letters, diaries, old speeches, old laws can be searched for by approaching older people who have an interest in collecting these. Watching TV programs sometimes shows documentaries where these letters are read, diary entries are cited and visits to interview older people who still remember historical laws and unique quotes from leaders can be obtained. Travel is necessary for this. Pinpointing where you saw or heard the evidence and following up the producers of TV programs, films etc will enable you to get your hands on original evidence.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Hi, Bal!
Welcome to the community. 🙂
I’m still not seeing the freelancing aspect on this post about freelance blogging, but I appreciate that you took the time to try and elaborate further…
I will say that this sounds like it’d be a pretty solid post on blogging! If you don’t write it for us, I hope you write it on your own (or for a blog with a more generalized niche). 😀
Bal Rehal says
Thank you very much for your feedback. Congratulations to all the winners. You worked hard to deserve it. Keep it up.
Kat Loveland says
Hello Sophie and friends,
I did last pitch fest so am back for more. For those who missed me last time I am Licensed Massage Therapist in Arizona who wants to build a blogging business because massage is not the most reliable of incomes, some week you get 15 people some weeks 20, and at some point my hand may give out. 🙂 I also want to start building cash reserves for things like travel, retirement etc.
I just opened my website and the few articles I have written are doing quite well.
My pitch revolves around headlines and language in them. Click bait vs Informative Headlines, Negative vs Positive language and how the industry and readers views one over the other.
So here goes.
Lipstick on a Pig: Is Your Headline Covering up Flawed Writing?
Are you crafting click bait headlines simply to drive traffic and get views? Is it better to grab a viewer for five seconds and have them move on or to truly engage them in your article?
Lead in: What is your purpose behind blogging? Are you trying to create as many views as possible without creating a readership or are you trying to gain followers and attract clients to you instead of spending hours querying? Crafting a quality headline to get eyes is one thing but if there is nothing to support that headline it is frustrating for your readers. You can use attention grabbing techniques for headlines without wondering into click-bait land where saavy readers are liable to dismiss you.
Sometimes Being Negative is Being Positive
Links to articles and data showing correlations between types of words chosen and numbered headlines. Discussion on the psychology behind how certain words attract our attention.
You’re Right, I Won’t Believe What You Have To Tell Me:
Why the increased amount of content available has made readers much more saavy. Articles and stats showing the return rate of spam/click bait type articles.
“Sorry Clickbait, I have to unfriend you.” Facebook
Articles showing how Social Media like Facebook has changed their algorithms to catch and filter out click bait type articles and how that can affect your blogging marketing returns.
“After Thirty Seconds It Was Awkward.”
Discussion on the effect of creating great headlines but bad content. If your end goal is to build a business and a readership you have to create content that people want to come back to you for.
What do you guys think?
Kat
sarah says
Hi Kat
love lipstick on a pig and clickbait notion- made me think about- how often I write the article with a “working headline” and then go back and spruce it up so as to focus on content first.
This is a good antidote to all those headline courses (often with agonisingly cringeworthy suggestions) that make you feel if you don’t have a snappy headline you are a lousy writer! It also reminds me of how often sensational tabloids screaming headline has absolutely nothing to do with the content that follows!
Great idea for a blog post Kat
Sarah 🙂
Kat Loveland says
Thanks!! Glad you found my idea useful.
Cherese Cobb says
I love this idea, and a pig wearing lipstick is just so comical. I always write and then think of a headline, and I tend to do the introduction last too. When I read snappy headlines, I’m expecting good writing, which isn’t always the case. The headline is like the bait. It may attract the reader, but it is the text that reels the reader in!
Sophie Lizard says
Nice pitch, Kat! And I love the headline. Oh, the irony.
Kat Loveland says
Irony is always a good eye catcher. 🙂 Thanks!
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Love this one, Kat. Your outline is really well done and you’re covering a topic that’s so relevant to bloggers and online journalists. New bloggers, in particular, get trapped into a pattern of writing nothing but click-bait articles (either because that’s all they can find by way of paid work or because that’s all they “know”). This would be really useful to our audience!
Marianne Griebler says
Absolutely! Death to click bait. I really lose trust in a writer when the content doesn’t deliver on the promise in the headline.
Kat Loveland says
Thanks Lauren!
Alicia Rades says
Great ideas so far. I’m still trying to think of one…
Alicia Rades says
I’m not really feeling my idea “coming together.” I think I’ll wait until the next pitchfest.
Amy says
Hi Aliciaward,
I had the same experience last Pitchfest. Looking forward to your idea.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Next Pitchfest is in December, Ladies! 🙂
Katherine Swarts says
HEADLINE: 4 Secrets to Pre-Qualifying Clients While Minimizing Time-Wasting
OPENER: BAFB itself said it: It’s the choosy freelancers with high standards on whom they pitch, who ultimately make more money with less effort. Yet being *too* choosy can trap you in a cycle of endless effort and *no* money. …
SUBHEAD #1: Know–and Like–Yourself
Low self-confidence makes writers their own worst enemies–backing away from prospects that “would never want me,” blindly copying other writers’ pre-qualification systems. You are as good–and unique–as anybody; write out your talents, your successes, *and* a description of your favorite working style.
EVIDENCE SUMMARY FOR SUBHEAD #1: Quote one or two successful writers who nonetheless struggle with “I’m not really very good” feelings (Carol Tice’s MakeALivingWriting.com will be the first place I seek quotes). Include references to recognized personality types (e. g., the information at MyersBriggs.org) and a few recommendations of sources for starting “affirmations lists” (a basic Google search for “positive affirmations” will yield sufficient material for the average person, but there are also topic-specific lists–e. g., Bible quotes affirming everyone as a valuable creation).
SUBHEAD #2: Fix Your Mind on Your Real Purpose
Remember that your goal is to market yourself as the best blogger available–not to make the longest possible list of prospects or rate them all correctly on an appropriateness scale of 1-10. Many self-marketers get so caught up in getting every pre-qualification point right, they never get to the “approach prospect” stage.
EVIDENCE SUMMARY FOR SUBHEAD #2: Check FreelanceWritersDen.com and various writers’ forums (at LinkedIn et al.) for “procrastination” and “perfectionism” discussions. Summarize common key points.
SUBHEAD #3: Set Daily and Per-Query Goals
That is, goals for the number of queries to send per work day and the amount of time (including pre-qualification) to spend on each query. Unless you’re already experienced enough to have it down to a system, set those goals respectively lower and higher than your first impulse.
EVIDENCE SUMMARY FOR SUBHEAD #3: Make a bullet list of needed steps in the query process (online writers’ guidelines and query forums should be helpful in pinpointing what the typical prospect wants). Note a statistic or two (from library databases and/or research sites) about why things take longer than we expect.
SUBHEAD #4: Make Your Own Pre-Qualifications List
List 3-7 points, in priority order, that describe your ideal client. Link each to something that can be checked–in 10 minutes or less!–through the typical prospect’s online presence: e. g., making a minimum per-year profit or active on your favorite social network.
EVIDENCE SUMMARY FOR SUBHEAD #4: Refer to BAFB’s “7 Practical Ways to Pre-Qualify” post and my own experience using it as a takeoff for a personal pre-qualifier list, including frustration with initial attempts to make *every* client fit *every* category and why that was found too time-consuming for my current best business approach. (Or that part could go right after the opener, which–though it doesn’t show in this data field–will also include a link to “7 Practical Ways” in the first sentence.)
WHO I AM: I am a freelance writer based in Houston, TX, USA. To date, I have published over 150 periodical articles and some 300 blog posts of my own, but am fairly new to freelance blogging for others (about half a dozen published e-articles so far). Working from a small existing-clients list and in a new niche (mental and emotional health), I have found it necessary at present to put *some* focus on quantity as well as quality when approaching prospects–hence my interest in explaining how *not* to drag out the pre-qualification process.
Alicia Rades says
I don’t mean to sound discouraging, but didn’t we see something very similar to this recently? http://beafreelanceblogger.com/7-practical-ways-to-pre-qualify-your-prospective-clients-make-more-money-with-less-effort/
I know you said you would reference that article, and I see that your subheads aren’t the same, but I would probably change the title so that readers don’t think it’s the exact same article.
Otherwise I think these are great ideas!
Sophie Lizard says
I like the angle you’re taking with this.
I agree with Alicia that the title could be different to avoid confusion with our recent post on prequalifying clients — you could take the stealth approach and make the title about getting your perfect clients rather than explicitly about prequalifying. 😉
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
I like that a lot of your “evidence” refers back to old BAFB posts. It shows that you’ve been paying attention — and are a loyal BAFB reader! 😉
sarah says
Katherine
very useful- would be a post I would read to help me refine my query process- especially like the notion of supporting yourself with affirmations (to be repeated often when you have one of those, ANY work is better than no work, moments).
Sarah 🙂
Dushyant says
I’ve recently joined the community and will surely pitch my idea within 24 hours. 🙂
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Welcome to BAFB, Dushyant!
Jamila Mustapha says
Hi Sophie and Lauren, here’s my pitch:
Suggested title:
The Shocking Reason behind procrastination: why you keep putting off your freelance blogging career
Intro:
What was the first thing you did when you thought about becoming a freelance blogger? Wanting to make proper decisions, you turned online for information right? That appears to be the logical thing to do.
You devour every piece of information that has the vaguest relevance to freelance blogging: writing, creativity, writer’s block, marketing etc. Some months down the line, there’s still so much to be learned and you still don’t have a single published clip to your name.
What has happened to ‘making a decision’? It’s been put on hold, hasn’t it?
That’s the subject of a research conducted by two Standford and Princeton university psychologists. Brace yourself for the shocker.
Their findings reveals that exposure to so much information doesn’t help us make better decision as we might have thought but is in fact responsible for procrastination and reduction in the quality of our decision.
Who could have thought…
(I’ll include quotes from the research material to support my points).
But how did this came to be?
Subheadings:
subhead one: Possible explanations
(There is no mention of this in the research; I made my inference based on the nature of information available to wannabe freelance bloggers)
1. Feeling of inadequacy
Exposure to so much information reveals to us just how inexperienced we’re and how inadequate our abilities are thus justifying the need to devour even more. The result is a delay in making decisions.
2. Heightened curiosity
There is always the urge to go down the next rabbit hole. Every link promises a new discovery, a new awareness, and we don’t have the discipline to resist (something to do with dopamine secretion). This ends up expanding our research to an unnecessary scope and increases our want for more. We end up losing touch with the real reason we went online in the first place. The information becomes more important than the decision to be made.
3. Feeling of overwhelm
The sheer volume of information available about freelance blogging and its different aspects can overwhelm even the best of us. This feeling of overwhelm can easily be connected to the inability to make swift decisions.
4. Finding excuses
Rather than pushing us to take action, too much information can expose us to excuses why we can’t start now. One blog post says you should save enough before making the plunge, another says you can’t make money if you can’t type fast etc.
subhead two: The implication of all these for you at the door
You end up fixated on the next thing to learn, forgetting the real reason you seek information in the first place: to make a decision.
According to the research, Issues that wouldn’t have affected your decision if you’ve known about them from the onset become the issues holding you back. Also the more you keep absorbing information the longer it takes you to reach a conclusion to start. What’s even more scary is that you’re likely to end up making worst off decisions, like deciding to start from content mills or pursue freelance blogging part time when your initial interest was to go at it full time.
subhead three: The way forward?
1. Know what you seek
Being conscious of the actual information you need to make a decision.
2. Know when to stop
Fight the urge to continue pursuing baseless information that will not help your decision.
3. Learn by doing
You can always learn as you go. As they say, experience is the best teacher.
I’m a new freelance blogger and ghost writer. I spent my final year in college learning about everything freelance writing, and now I’ve finally made the plunge.
Alicia Rades says
I love this topic and honestly a little jealous I didn’t think of it first. I’ve been trying to think of something that will resonate with readers who haven’t started writing for pay yet.
This is just my opinion, but I think your headline is perfect! 🙂
Jamila Mustapha says
Thanks for the kind words Alicia, I Knew I wanted a topic that resonate with that group too. It took me the whole of yesterday to come up with one that’s backed by research.
Sophie Lizard says
Thanks Jamila, this is a well-thought-out pitch.
Can you tell us what differentiates your idea from this post on BAFB a while ago? http://beafreelanceblogger.com/analysis-paralysis/
Jamila Mustapha says
Hi Sophie, even though the topic suggest we’re talking about the same thing, the focus of the post is more on writer’s who’re stuck in the research phase without being able to move on to the writing phase. My idea on the other hand focuses on wannabe freelance bloggers who can’t make the decision to start because of being exposed to too much information and then i have a research work to back it up. My post will be in form of a wake up call for them to actually make that decision.
Sophie Lizard says
Thanks, Jamila. 🙂
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Thanks for clarifying this, Jamila! And this is a great topic for our readers. We have so many wonderful bloggers-to-be who just need to GET STARTED. 😉
Jamila Mustapha says
Thanks Lauren. That was what i had in mind when i was thinking of an idea to pitch.
Bonita says
I fear I fall into this category. While I don’t need one more thing to read, this answers a lot of questions for me. I hope you win!
sarah says
Jamila
I like the idea behind this and procrastination is a hot topic for many in business.
Think you need to find some other data sources to support your blog
Maybe time spent on social media graphs would be a good one?
How we spend our days – sure there are pie charts on that
Quantity of information- growth of internet graphs- shows the scale of info overload out there..
Suggestions to help overcome overload- maybe good sites to select info from?
Hope this helps and welcome to freelance writing!!
Sarah 🙂
Jamila Mustapha says
Thanks Sarah.
There are some interesting experiments conducted for the research. In one, only 21% were able to make a decision after being exposed to more information as opposed to 71% that were not. But yes, I’ll check for additional data to support the topic. Thanks for the suggestions.
Amy says
Hi Jamila
I think this would be really interesting for bloggers at all stages of their career.
Jamila Mustapha says
Thanks Amy
We’re always pursuing information to make one decision or the other, at every stage. So yeah..
Amy Dunn Moscoso says
How a Chinese Fruit Vendor Taught Me to Negotiate Rocking Freelance Blogging Rates
Would you pay $14USD for five oranges to avoid bartering?
Spend $18USD on bananas to appease screaming children?
Walk 15 minutes in toxic rain to a store and pay double for the same fruit sold right outside your apartment?
Hello, my name is Amy and I’m a recovering non-negotiator. I’m proof people pay x% more to escape discomfort.
(find stat on this – I just read an article on it)
Strategies for quick conversions and negotiating premium rates with clients in a state of discomfort – and become a valuable source of relief.
Uncomfortable Client Fear Scenario One: Rush Writing Job
Sometimes, you’d pay anything to get what you need right now. New pants to replace a pair that split three and a half minutes before an ideal client discovery meeting.
Evidence: Real picture of my local Chinese vendor holding out a fruit and smiling; Rush pricing negotiation hacks from well-known freelance writers and rate sheets from places like PWAC and AWAI
Client Fear Scenario Two: Writing Project Overwhelm
Have you ever had a job that took more than 40 hours a week and then had a huge project that you had no time, interest or knowledge of, like rewriting 25 website pages in two days, fall on you? My newest client did.
Evidence: Personal experience story of negotiating a writing gig by relieving pressure from new client. Stats on time being the biggest barrier to content marketing from the State of Content Marketing 2014 at the Content Marketing Institute.
Client Fear Scenario Three: The Terror of the White Screen
Ever sat at your computer staring at a white screen, typing in a word and then erasing it over and over again?
Evidence: Negotiation tactics for landing gigs from people who are scared of/hate writing. Locate stats on percentage of people who write in their jobs and hate it. Personal story of a director friend who begged me to write her proposals.
Client Fear Scenario Four: Presentation Pressure Cooker
Fear/getting lost in preparing a presentation.
Evidence: Stats on time it takes to prepare a presentation; famous people and CEOs who use ghostwriters and speech writers, quotes from a high profile speechwriter? Personal experience preparing CEO presentations.
Fear Scenario Five: Unclogging a Costly Bottleneck
Ever brought your blogging career, job, family to a halt because you didn’t deal with X? Clients with bottleneck are costing everyone and you and your blogging can save them $$$.
Evidence: Recent experience landing a marketing brochure from a manufacture who had been putting it off for 9 months – though it was holding them back from a 50 million dollar deal -paid top rates and thanked me for saving them money. Find stats/trends on professions that hate writing (engineers, construction, manufacturing); cost of procrastination
My name is Amy Dunn Moscoso and I’m a freelance B2B Marketing Writer based in Tianjin, China. I’ve been sharpening my negotiation tactics with help from the local fruit seller. With my newfound negotiation skills, I allowed a client to get uncomfortable enough to pay my ideal rates, plus a bonus.
Sophie Lizard says
This sounds like a fun post, Amy — I love your examples and anecdotes! 🙂 Well pitched.
Amy says
Thanks Sophie. I love Pitchfest.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
So long as you keep the focus on freelance blogging rather than freelance writing in general, I think this post could be freakin’ brilliant. Well done, Amy! 🙂
Marianne Griebler says
Fun stuff. I love your strong word choices. And I aspire to be a recovering non-negotiator! 🙂
tasha says
Hi everyone,
I am so grateful for this opportunity to pitch and learn. Here goes:
HEADLINE 5 reasons why you’re not making as much money as you could blogging
If you tear out your hair when you open your bank statement at the end of the month don’t despair. And don’t jump to the conclusion that freelance bloggers can’t make decent money. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just ask freelance blogger Carol Tice who makes $5000 a month blogging or Tom Ewer who nets $100+ per hour.
The reasons:
1. Prospecting in all the wrong places a.k.a pricing yourself into poverty. Avoid or limit time spent on content mills and bargain basement job boards and focus on finding quality clients that pay more. Strategies such as effective use of linked in, querying better paying blogs will be outlined. Quotes from successful freelance bloggers such as Carol Tice will be used.
2. Marketing messages not having the proper impact. Sending out poorly written queries and not taking the time to personalize pitch will not land you those high paying gigs, if they land you any gigs at all. According to the Content Marketing Institute 71% of best-in-class B2B content marketers tailor content to the profile of the decision maker. (Source: The Content Marketing Institute). Top companies utilize this strategy all the time- by personalizing MMS messages to 1,200 customers in the US, BMV improved conversions by 30%.
3. Failing to retain and gain – Regular, recurring clients are the key to good consistent income.You save time not only on marketing but on getting to know clients and their needs. It is 50% easier to sell to existing customers than to brand new leads (Marketing Metrics); a 5% increase in customer retention can increase a company’s profitability by 75% (Bain and Co). These figures will be presented in an infographic along with other relevant statistics.
4. Focusing on being a jack of all trades. People who specialize on a specific nice make more money because they are seen as experts. Quotes from successful bloggers like Tom Ewer that specialized. Napoleon Hill author of Think and Grow Rich, one of the most influential financial books ever written advocates specialized knowledge as the fourth step towards riches.
5. Failing to wow clients. Just doing your job is not enough to skyrocket you to upper echelon of blog earners. You have to deliver superior customer service and superior writing so that your clients become your evangelists. Word of mouth recommendations are the most effective way to get more clients. Nielson 2012 online survey found that 92 percent of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of advertising (use a pie chart to compare different forms of advertising effectiveness).
I’m Tasha Lessey, a freelance writer in Toronto. I’m a novelist branching off into blogging and have spent countless hours researching what it takes to succeed financially with freelance blogging.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Looks good, Tasha. 🙂 Your sub-heads are all topics we’ve covered in different articles before, but it might be nice to have an article that lumps them all into one general easy-to-find space — especially since it’s going to be backed-up with tons of research/evidence. 😉
Marianne Griebler says
TITLE:
Blogger CPR: Don’t let your job be the death of you
OPENER:
Blogging is killing you.
I don’t mean the stress of cranking out deathless prose or even the coffee you gulp by the gallon.
Blogging is killing you because you sit hunched over your laptop. All day long.
Science has spoken: Sitting will be the death of you and me.
SUBHEAD:
In which I resign myself to an early demise
This isn’t really news, of course. We’ve known for a while that even if you faithfully get to the gym, all that sitting wipes out any benefit from the measly few minutes you spend huffing and puffing on the elliptical.
Dr. David Agus puts it bluntly: Sitting for more than 5 hours a day is “equivalent on a health basis to smoking a pack and a quarter of cigarettes.”
Yow.
(There’s lots of data on this, so I’ve only scratched the surface:)
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20140407/sitting-disease-faq
http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/national/the-health-hazards-of-sitting/750/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140707141622.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22818936
I don’t know about you, but my first reaction was a kind of a paralysis. Move? When I’m under deadline? Sure, there are those rare times I get out of my chair to go to the bathroom or get more coffee. But how can I move when I earn a living typing on a computer keyboard?
Being a writer, I research my options.
SUBHEAD:
The high price of standing on the job
There’s always someone looking to make a buck on our mortality and the alternatives to sitting are no different. You may beg to differ, but I find standing desks awkward and walking desks horrifying. And besides, I’m on a budget, people! I got bills to pay and would prefer that one of them wasn’t for my swanky treadmill desk.
http://lifehacker.com/five-best-standing-desks-1528244287
http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/03/11/new-study-treadmill-desks-boost-productivity/
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/25/170264905/walk-while-you-talk-the-meeting-goes-mobile
(NOTE: One option for incorporating DataCracker is to crunch the costs of various high-tech solutions to incorporating movement (i.e., standing and walking desks, FitBit, etc.) That’s the kind of graph that would give you a heart attack.)
While I’ve had a little luck with standing and walking meetings, popularized by such luminaries as Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, they still don’t address the reality of being chained to a chair all day long. And clients think you’re nuts if you pop out your seat during a meeting and go stand in the corner. We have enough problems wooing paying customers without our sanity being questioned.
SUBHEAD
The genius solution is also FREE
Miraculously, the cure to what’s killing you is surprisingly simple. And cheap, as in free: Every 20 minutes, stand up. Move around a little bit. Rinse and repeat.
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/09/152336802/stand-up-walk-around-even-just-for-20-minutes
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/04/the-surprising-shortcut-to-better-health/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
You don’t need a trainer. You don’t need a gym membership. You don’t need a geeky gadget on your wrist. All you need is a timer.
I almost wept with joy.
SUBHEAD:
How I decided to save my life
(Notes on my own daily movement plan)
SUBHEAD:
Create your own customized movement plan
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to combating the risks of a sedentary lifestyle. You have to figure out what works for you and customize how you build movement into your day; it’s your best chance of success.
(Tips for incorporating movement into your day)
(Benefits for productivity and happiness; again, lots to work with:)
http://www.fastcompany.com/3025957/work-smart/what-happens-to-our-brains-when-we-exercise-and-how-it-makes-us-happier
And oh yes — spread the word! Be an evangelist for movement that’s effective and affordable. I’m sure you know at least one blogger in the death throes of sitting right now.
BIO:
My name is Marianne Griebler and I’ve been a writer and an editor for my entire career. For that reason, I am also an expert in sitting, because I do it more than anything else during the day. Worrying about surviving a career that traps me in a chair inspired me to figure out some easy, affordable tips to keep myself (and other bloggers and writers) alive and thriving.
Sophie Lizard says
Oooh, I think I need to read this one! My posture is terrible and I sometimes sit typing for so long my legs go numb before I realise what’s up.
Nice idea, Marianne. 🙂
Amy says
This sounds awesome. I hate walking meetings. No notes! And my feet get swollen after writing for hours plus I get really cold when everyone else in the house is freezing. And no way Im oaying for a treadmill desk. Would enjoy reading this and awesome ideas for incorporsting Datacracker.
Marianne Griebler says
Thank you, Amy! And I love meeting other people who are as cheap as I am. 🙂
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
I, too, would like to read cheap options for fixing this problem. haha.
Looks great, Marianne! And you certainly provided a lot of research. 🙂
Marianne Griebler says
Thanks, Sophie! There’s some kind of black hole out there just waiting to suck writers in, wreck their posture and put their legs to sleep. We have to defend ourselves!
Brett Guttormson says
Hi Sophie and Lauren,
Here is my pitch…
Time Waits for no Blogger…or, Does It?
Opening – Time is a Relative! Sorry, I meant to say “Time is Relative”, and not time is your Aunt Barbara. Whether you blog as a first job or a second, if you don’t have time, you can’t post, or comment, or bathe. Between work, family, and showers, I wish Doc Brown would give me a Delorean Time Machine…Don’ t you?
Evidence – Reference Be a Freelance Blogger word cloud from DataCracker showing Time as an important concern for bloggers.
SECTIONS:
1. Time for Priorities
To quote Problogger, “…time management is a lot to do with priorities.” This section discusses how your desired priorities do not match the activities you do everyday. (Are you blogging, or watching the rerun of Once Upon a Time?)
Evidence – Quote from problogger.net.
2. Time on Schedule
This section discusses the important of Editorial Calendars, and how they help you plan while avoiding constantly shifting gears. It will also show how to capitalize on your efforts (e.g. leverage research for multiple posts).
Evidence – Video from Suitcase Entrepreneur on the importance of, and how to create an editorial calendar. Their is also a link to a free editorial calendar download. Also, quote from C Lee Reed post on Be a Freelance Blogger from June 14, 2014.
3. Time in Apps
This section talks about the amazing Apps available to us (many for free) to help us build our blogs. Instead of spending most of time on smartphones and tablets playing games (stupid Bubble Witch), Productivity Apps can help you plan, researcher, and save information for your upcoming posts.
Evidence – Graph form Flurry Analytics showing how we spend our time on smartphones.
4. Time on the Toilet
This section shows how we spend years of life performing tasks (such as going to the bathroom) where our mind is otherwise unoccupied. This is free mental time to plan posts or write them.
Evidence – Image Cover Art of Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi. DataCracker graph showing how much time is spend in different activities during a person’s life.
5. Time left Free
This section discusses how over planning of your day can be detrimental to completing scheduled tasks. It talks about planning in “free time” in your day to take care of Family/Work issue that unexpectedly pop-up.
Evidence – Quote from entrepreneur.com.
6. Time to play, Play, PLAY!
This sections explains how everyone needs time to “recharge”. If you think about blogging all the time, you will burn out before you can ever get going.
Evidence – Comment from Metafilter member Ook. (Come on you got to listen to a person who calls themselves, Ook.)
Who I am / Why I am the right person to write this post – Like all of us, I wear many hats: Father, Husband, Blogger, Writer. Each one demands time from a person who is not a natural time manager. Each of these suggestions help me to balance the demands of my day while allowing me to create quality work.
I look forward to your feedback. Have a fun day, everyone!
Marianne Griebler says
I love, love, love your reminder that we need to take time to recharge. Our creativity takes a hit when we’re always running on fumes. It’s hard to do in our 24/7 world, so we can’t be reminded about the importance of this often enough.
Brett Guttormson says
Marianne,
Thank you so much for your comments. Relaxation is difficult when you think about quickly the world moves. No one wants to be left behind, but no one can keep running all the time.
Thanks again,
Brett
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
I really like your pitch, Brett. 🙂 And bonus points for referencing BTTF and OUAT.
My only concern is that it might be too “general” — you make a good case as to why time management is important to bloggers, but you might want to put more emphasis on why it’s important to freelance bloggers (meeting client deadlines, etc.).
I’m already familiar with your work seeing as you’ve written for us before — so I know you totally “get” what BAFB’s about — but I have to judge this pitch on the pitch alone. (Man, being a Pitchfest judge is tough!!!)
Brett Guttormson says
Lauren,
Thank you very much for your feedback. I can flesh this pitch out to speak more to the freelance blogger – meeting deadlines (as you aptly point out), time to market/network, and (if you find an interesting client) have the available time to take on their project.
Anyway, you are doing a great job as a judge.
Sophie Lizard says
I particularly like “time on the toilet” and “time to play” in this pitch. Nicely done, Brett! 🙂
Brett Guttormson says
Sophie,
Awesome. I’m glad you like those sections. I set them up to keep the readers attention.
Rebecca Collins Brown says
Thank you for the opportunity to pitch, Sophie and Lauren!
Creativity, Are You There? It’s Me, Saucepan.
You saw what I did there, right?
A headline that makes no practical sense yet, oddly enough, works. If not elicits a head scratch or two.
When we try to harness the tricky, fickle and unpredictable creative beast, practicality is sometimes the last thing we need. In fact, most things that seem ostensibly logical are actually roadblocks in the pursuit of creative thinking.
Subheads:
1. Creativity Is The Means, Not The End (or) If You Build It, It Will Come
As writers, instead of viewing creativity as a process, we often make it the end goal to where all of our efforts are directed. Instead of trying to “win” with creativity, however, try striving to risk more and win less. By putting the emphasis on something other than creative thinking, it will loosen the death grip on our creative brains and allow them to ignite.
Evidence:
“The Artist’s Way” – by Julia Cameron
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenkotler/2012/10/11/einstein-at-the-beach-the-hidden-relationship-between-risk-and-creativity/
2. Don’t Feed The Weeds
What you feed grows. Regardless of this truism, we tend to forget the relationship between what we mentally sow and what we physically reap. If you want to nurture creativity, feed it with positive self-talk and leave the negative behind.
Evidence:
Dr. Masaru Emoto’s research on water crystals and food spoilage in response to differently charged words like love/hate.
3. Play Your Way To Inspiration
When we sit to write, all too often the essence of “work” looms over us a like dirty four letter word. Work is what we are doing, sure, but it need not be at the exclusion of play.
Evidence:
http://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_on_creativity_and_play?language=en
4. An Empty Brain Is A Creative Brain
Sometimes, especially when we we’re afraid of failing, we fall into perfection mode and (wrongly) believe we need to become experts. When we believe there is one right way to do something, we limit ourselves from seeing all the myriad of possibilities not yet allowed to prove their own unique “rightness”.
Evidence:
Zen Philosophy/ “If your mind is empty, it is always read for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” – Shunryu Suzuki
“Stay hungry, stay foolish.” – Steve Jobs
About me: After 10 years in advertising, I parlayed my passion and skills into being a freelance content strategist and copywriter. All of this while raising two little fierce spirits and trying to feed my own creativity.
Sophie Lizard says
The researcher of emotive words’ effect on inanimate objects is called Dr Emoto? :-O
I’ll be back with proper feedback for you shortly — I just had to comment about that name!
Rebecca Collins Brown says
Ha. Glad I’m not the only one tickled by that!
Marianne Griebler says
You’ve got me digging out my battered old copy of The Artist’s Way for a refresher course ….
Rebecca Collins Brown says
That book is definitely a keeper!
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Hey, Rebecca! This sounds like it could be an…interesting…post. I’m just not seeing how you’re going to make all of this into a post for/about freelance bloggers.
I mean, I can guess — using a bit of creative thinking of my own! — but I shouldn’t have to. 😉
Sophie Lizard says
Yep, I agree with Lauren — if you can give this a clear freelance blogger perspective, it’ll work.
And I’m curious to see how that headline pans out! Will it attract or confuse? I’m not sure, but you’ve got me thinking…
Rebecca Collins Brown says
Aha, yes I see completely what I overlooked! Thank you both for the helpful feedback.
Sarah B. says
HEADLINE: 4 Reasons Why Now is the Most Important Time in History to be a Writer
OPENER: There’s no doubt that a freelance writing career can be rough. Finicky clients, unpredictable income, rejected pitches, and visits from that odious writer’s block fairy are just a few things that may cause a writer to question her career choice. If you’re struggling with sticking with it – or concerned about even starting – here’s why you should persevere: you’re a writer at the most important time for writers in our history thus far. Take a look at why your craft has immeasurable value in our current social climate, and will continue to in the future:
SUBHEAD #1: Information Overload – And Much of it Poorly Written
POINT: Discuss how social media is now the #1 activity on the internet. Businesses rely primarily on blogs and Facebook / Twitter for Business for marketing and PR and much of this content is written by employees who aren’t skilled writers. Web content is oftentimes not subject to the same rigorous editing process that published works were in decades past. Also, researchers project that by next year, it would take nearly 16 hrs/day to process all of the new information with which we’re presented on a daily basis. The amount of rubbish out there is growing, and excellent writers are in high demand.
EVIDENCE: Quotes from UC San Diego research article, Huffington Post, and CNN to support social media growth, writing demand, and individual media consumption.
SUBHEAD #2: Visual Culture Doesn’t Suffice – Why the Book is Always Better Than the Movie
POINT: We’re told over and over that visual culture has superseded print culture and that we’ve become a listless society that doesn’t read. This is both true and false. The biggest shift in our reading habits lies in *why* we read. In a society dominated by images, “the book always continues to be better than the movie.” Explain in a few bullet points the technical reasons why text continues to reign over image.
EVIDENCE: Quotes from an article The Guardian (and a couple related pictures), statistics from Wall Street Journal
SUBHEAD #3: Making Sense of the Chaos – Analyzing the Implications of Rapidly Advancing Technology
POINT: Remember the days of “General Electric introduces the microwave! And this will be the primary technological advance of the century that dominates all conversation for a full year!”? Neither do I. But that was life fifty-plus years ago, and editorial writers had one job: to write about that damn microwave. Today, a new technological product or service hits the news every hour – far too much for anyone in his right mind to process. As such, there’s a huge demand for writers who can effectively articulate the swarm of moral, ethical, social, cultural, political, and consumer implications of rapidly advancing technologies.
EVIDENCE: Data from Twitter analytics, snapshots of a few tweets, quotes from a Pew Research article
SUBHEAD #4: Blogs are the New Black – And Carry More Weight Than Traditional Media
POINT: Discuss how the website recommendations of family or friends – as well as consumer opinion (reviews and comments on websites) – are now more trusted than the information reported by traditional media outlets. This suggests the opportunities for growth in freelance writing (especially blogging) are significant. Explain with a few bullet points the specifics of how personal websites like SlashDot and Gawker came to be renowned sources in mainstream media, and how that can inform your blog and identity as a writer.
EVIDENCE: Quotes and data images from a Nielsen report, quotes from a Telegraph article, infographic / statistics from WordPress
WHO I AM AND WHY I’M THE RIGHT PERSON: I hold an M.A. in English with a published thesis and have written creatively and critically for 20+ years. As such, I have excellent research skills and have composed numerous pieces that relied upon the use of evidence to draw in readers and to make a viable argument. I am (more than!!!) ready to make the transition from desk job to freelance writing full-time, so you can expect from me the highest level of professionalism combined with writing that’s engaging, witty, and smart.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Hi, Sarah!
This is insanely interesting! If you don’t write this for us, I hope you write it somewhere. (And then send me the link so I can read it!).
The only thing not making me give this post an immediate “YES!” is that I’m not seeing the freelancing aspect of freelance blogging coming through… How does this information effect freelance bloggers? How would they be able to earn more money by knowing this?
Sarah B. says
Thanks, Lauren! I’m really glad you found the pitch so interesting 🙂 I would love the opportunity to publish it here! You’re right, I wasn’t clear about the freelance aspect in the pitch…sorry about that! In each section, I would include a few points of advice for how freelancers can “stay ahead of the curve” and advance in the quickly progressing areas I’m discussing. For example, for subheader 1, I would explain how to land steady gigs writing content for social media/social media management. Similarly, for subheader #3, I would go into the specifics of the “huge demand” for those kinds of writers: who the potential clients are, how much they pay, and tips on how position yourself as a leader in information analysis (and get hired!). Hope this clarifies a bit 🙂
Sophie Lizard says
Hi Sarah, I love this pitch too — but you’ll need to stick like napalm to the freelance *blogging* perspective to make it fit our readership. (Nothing wrong with mentioning social media writing etc, but make sure you’ve covered the freelance blogging angle first.)
Sarah B. says
Aha! I see where I got off track. Thanks so much for the feedback, Sophie! I’ll work on tying this pitch very closely to freelance blogging. I’m excited for the next Pitchfest!
Congratulations to all the winners!
Jovell says
Not prepared to send in a pitch but seeing all the submissions gets me excited. Can’t wait to see who wins. 🙂
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Come back in December, Jovell! 😀
Issa Mirandilla says
*breathes deeply* Okay, here’s my Pitchfest entry. 😀
HEADLINE: 5 Freelance Blogging Myths That’ll Hold You Back If You Keep Believing Them
By now, you’ve probably read every single article on what blogging is, and what it isn’t.
Okay, maybe not every article.
You haven’t read *this* one yet, after all.
You haven’t read about how certain freelance blogging “facts” are actually myths, as debunked by studies, statistics, and other research.
Ready to know more? Let’s start with…
Myth # 1 You Need To Be an “Expert”
Surprisingly, *perceived* expertise isn’t your readers’ No. 1 criteria for assessing your credibility. It’s something else–which is, fortunately, within your reach.
http://lass.purduecal.edu/cca/gmj/fa11/gmj-fa11-article7.htm
http://www.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/BlogCredibility_101210.pdf
Myth # 2 Blogging Services Should Be “Cheap”
Do your clients–both current and potential–always insist that your rates are “too high”? You might want to show them this: http://www.writersmarket.com/assets/pdf/how_much_should_i_charge.pdf
Myth # 3 Blogging Isn’t That Important For Business
Even after showing them the chart linked in the previous section, do your clients remain unconvinced about your value? Maybe these non-price related numbers will change their mind:
http://www.impactbnd.com/blogging-statistics-55-reasons-blogging-creates-55-more-traffic
Myth # 4 Blogging Can Carry Most Of Your Marketing Efforts
Okay, so you’ve done well in convincing your clients that your work matters… but maybe a little *too* well. In that case, tell them that while blogging is important to online marketing, it won’t work miracles unless they step up on the other aspects of their strategy (They do have one, right?).
http://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-stats-studies
http://blog.bufferapp.com/10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-you-rethink-your-strategy?utm_content=buffer1bd00&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#comment-1469221386
Myth # 5 The Blogging Market is Saturated
Think you can’t compete because there’s too much competition? This tidbit will surprise you–in the most pleasant way you can imagine: http://www.factbrowser.com/facts/12724/
*NOTE: I plan to divide each sub-section into three parts: The Myth, The Truth, and The Action Plan. Also, I’ll add more studies to support my ideas, if necessary.
I’m Issa Mirandilla, a freelance blogger. To me, constantly challenging your preconceived notions is one of the keys to improving not just as a professional, but also as a person in general–hence this post.
Rebecca Collins Brown says
I like this…very freeing attitude!
Issa Mirandilla says
Glad to hear that, Rebecca! 🙂
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
This is really, really good, Issa! The only problem is, we have a blog post scheduled within the next couple weeks that’s about pretty much this EXACT topic! ~_~
That said, if we hadn’t already said “yes” to this post from someone else, we would have said it to you.
Issa Mirandilla says
Oh. 🙁 Guess I’ll try my luck again next time. Thanks for the feedback, Lauren!
Sophie Lizard says
Issa, I’d love to see you at the next Pitchfest (starts mid-December) with a post that goes deeper into your point#4 — we all want our clients to trust in the value of freelance blogging, but we also need them to play their part with a wider marketing strategy! I think that’s worth a whole post all to itself. 🙂
Sophie Lizard says
P.S. I’m already imagining some of the headlines we could use for that post, from shock value with words like “exposed”, “myth”, “warning” and so on to the snarky “Dear Client, Here’s Why Blogging Won’t Make Your Business a Success”. 😀
Issa Mirandilla says
Hahaha! Thanks a lot, Sophie 😀 Will keep your tips in mind. 😉
Williesha Morris says
I’ve been working on this one for months. I hope it finds its place here on BAFB.
Headline: The Multi-Author Blog: A Wise Investment or Fool’s Gold?
Intro: Open your portfolio and look at your latest clip. Are you proud of it? Will you get a great return on investment for publishing it?
So let’s look at multi-author blogs: Often there’s no pay, but the supposed benefits are deeper than a simple link to your site. You are now part of a community of like-minded people.
Subhed #1: Determine your own personal goals.
– This should happen before you even express interest in the blog.
– What are your desired outcomes for participating?
– Evidence: Will discuss how SMART goals can be beneficial; Talk with an owner and/or writer of multi-author blog.
Subhead #2: Find out how often your content is being promoted.
– Determine if content promotion is equal for new writers as well as established ones.
– Is it skewed towards certain writers who have a closer relationship with the head honchos?
Evidence: Comparing the social media, e-mail marketing reach of different multi-author blogs and speaking with a blogging expert on imbalance can happen.
Subhead 3: Analyze who is reading and commenting.
– Multiple Facebook shares and Tweets are fabulous.
– How do you know the story was actually read?
Evidence: Educate readers on ways to determine how long someone stayed on the page.
Subhead 4: Monitor the competition before joining.
– Do your due diligence.
– Find out the biggest and most influential sites within your niche.
Evidence: Tips on how to search for popular blogs from a blogging expert.
Subhead 5: Are the community rules and regulations explicit and simple to follow?
– Who is in charge?
– What are the commenting and disclosure policies?
Evidence: Examples of multi-author blogs that are successful and have policies in place.
Finally: Check Your Personalities at the Keyboard. How my own experiences with multi-author sites has only been moderately successful.
Why Me? – I’ve been in several multi-author blogs of note and have expertise in the subject. I’ll be able to break this down for bloggers and for people interested in starting a multi-author blog. And, of course, I love writing for BAFB and have a great understanding of your audience.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Hey, Willi!
I’m sure this post would be brilliant because it’s you writing it, but I’m not seeing the freelancing aspect of this topic. Could you make that more clear for me…?
Thanks!
Williesha says
Sure can! I probably should have been more specific: freelance bloggers can use multi-author blogs to make new contacts or get portfolio clips to potential clients. This could work really well if the blog is within the subject you’re targeting.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Thanks!
Jessica Benavides Canepa says
Hi Sophie and Lauren,
My pitch for your consideration:
Title: 5 Myths About Landing Your First Big Client
You spend countless hours perfecting your blog posts and sending out queries to potential clients.
And then, one day, it happens. You land a great paying blogging gig with a high-profile client that loves your work.
So, you re-focus your energy on your ‘golden goose’.Six months later, the company folds and you’re out in the cold.
Don’t get caught up in any of these 5 myths and you can go on to even bigger success.
Myth #1: Ease up on the Marketing
In fact, the opposite is generally true. This is when you should send queries to other well-known blogs with a link to your popular post to show them you really know your stuff…
Evidence: DataCracker graphics statistics the marketing tools successful writers are using
Myth #2: The Client is Always Right
Of course, you want to please your client and come off as easy to work with, but that doesn’t mean you do not have any good ideas of your own to contribute…
Evidence: link from guru writer Carol Tice
http://www.makealivingwriting.com/writing-paid-guest-posts-nightmare/
Myth #3: If a Client Rejects Your Next Idea, You’re Doomed.
Fight back at the sting of rejection by immediately trying a new approach, idea or fresh angle…
Evidence: Inspirational writer link for those who fear rejection
http://planbnation.net/2013/08/22/me-vs-fear-of-writing-rejection/
Myth #4: You Must be Available 24/7
Your big client can pay you competitive rates and the publicity you can generate with their high-traffic blog is another fantastic bonus, but that doesn’t mean you are now at their beck and call. Avoid conflict by clearly communicating your services…
Evidence: example from my own experiences
Myth #5: Free Work Now Means Better Pay Later
No matter what perks clients offer, they are getting what they pay for. What is your writing worth?…
Evidence: Free vs paid work
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141022174039-283620963-what-mark-cuban-and-donatella-versace-get-wrong-about-hiring
Each myth will include various (tried and tested!) examples and useful quotes, anecdotes and inspiration to make sure you aren’t falling for them. I’ve sent more info to you via email.
About Me/ Qualifications to write this post: I am a journalist and content writer with 5 years experience honing my skills in magazine and travel writing, blogging, copy writing and content marketing for business websites, blogs and print publications related to travel, luxury, culture, women’s issues, sustainability and fashion. I have been published at Nat Geo Traveler, BBC Travel, Société Perrier, Global Living, Jetsetter, Boots n All, The Huffington Post and CNN Travel, among others.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
I’ve definitely “been there.” This could be a helpful post for keeping the “Famine” part of the Feast or Famine Cycle from breaking our readers. Thanks, Jessica! 🙂
Jessica Benavides Canepa says
Thanks Lauren! We work so hard to get there and when something great finally happens, we sometimes lose sight of what got us there in the first place! Hope I get the opportunity to write the complete post for your readers. 🙂
Marianne Griebler says
Issa, you sure hit all of my anxiety points. A really nice overview of some of the things that hold us back.
Issa Mirandilla says
Thanks, Marianne. 🙂 Good luck to all of us in the Pitchfest!
Daryl says
On second thought don’t think I’ll enter pitchfest this year, but good luck to all those who are!
Brett Guttormson says
Daryl,
Sorry to hear that. This looks like a really great Pitchfest. Some really great pitches here. Sophie and Lauren have their work cut out for them. Good Luck Everyone.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
If you change your mind, we’re having another Pitchfest in December!
Nicole Graham says
Here goes. Thanks for this opportunity Sophie!
Read More, Blog Better
Stephen King writes, “If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or tools to write.” Though he may have been speaking to writers of fiction or other creative genres, his message applies to blogging as well. Reading is just as important to the writing life of a blogger as it is to the creative writer.
1. Read the comments
What are the readers talking about? How are they interacting with the posts? Use this information to fuel your own writing. Blogger and social media strategist Liz Strauss states that blog comments are key to building a community and driving traffic to the blog. Studying these comments will help you cater to your audience and bring more attention to your work.
2. Read around the site
Successful freelance writers like Linda Formichelli implore that you should know your audience and the publication. Become familiar with the content. Don’t just pitch blindly and hope for the best. Do your research.
3. Read your own post
Editors want nothing more than a clean post to lightly edit before publication. Reread your own writing before you submit it. Anyone can blog, but not everyone can blog well. Edit your own writing to put your best work forward. Then use readability stats to see if your piece works.
4. Read about the site you want to write for
Do your research. Before pitching a site, make sure they fit the image you are trying to create for yourself. It’s better to have a few good, solid clips than a bunch of clips from crap sites. The clips you present to a potential client say something about your personal brand. Entrepreneur magazine relays that, “Your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from your competitors’.”
3. Read everything else
Inspiration can come from anywhere, and blog editors are looking for fresh content. Reading a variety of different genres or content might just spark a shiny new topic that you can sell. Reading also fosters a love for, well, more reading. In January, Psychology Today noted an Emory University study that found that reading, fiction specifically, improved brain connectivity—imagination and visualization—which are both key components to coming up with fresh ideas for blog posts.
My name is Nicole Graham and I am a freelance writer published by USA Today, Lifehack, and Brass Media. I work in commercial credit, but have a degree in creative writing. I write a blog about reading and writing as well as teach reading and writing at a local college.
I’d like to create an infographic or chart using the Emory University study info. All other sources will be quoted and linked.
Psychology Today Article”http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201401/reading-fiction-improves-brain-connectivity-and-function
Entrepreneur article
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/77408
Liz Strauss’ blog
http://www.successful-blog.com/1/to-give-is-to-get-the-importance-of-blog-comments/
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Looks good, Nicole! I certainly wish more people would read this blog before pitching to us! 😉 Maybe if you write this post, I can point people to it. haha.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!
Huge thank you to everyone who participated! As someone mentioned earlier: Sophie and I have our work cut out for us! This is going to be a tough call!!
Participants: Pat yourself on the back! You’re awesome. <3 We'll be announcing the winners within the next couple days. (And we'll be going through and replying to each of you -- so if you haven't gotten a reply yet, just be patient).
Lurkers: We hope you learned a lot and that you’ll try entering your pitch in our next Pitchfest! Come back in December. 😉
Sophie Lizard says
OK, we’re done poring over your entries. Here are the winners!
1st prize: Amy Dunn Moscoso with “How a Chinese Fruit Vendor Taught Me to Negotiate Rocking Freelance Blogging Rates” — read Amy’s winning pitch at http://beafreelanceblogger.com/blog-pitch-contest/#comment-74711
2nd prize: Sarah Vitale with “Blog Quake! Exploding the myth that blogging is an amateur pastime” — read Sarah’s pitch at http://beafreelanceblogger.com/blog-pitch-contest/#comment-73633
Joint 3rd & 4th:
Belle Walker with “One Simple Tool That Will Make Your Writing Pop” — read her pitch at http://beafreelanceblogger.com/blog-pitch-contest/#comment-74120
Marianne Griebler with “Blogger CPR: Don’t let your job be the death of you” — read her pitch at http://beafreelanceblogger.com/blog-pitch-contest/#comment-74732
Other people whose pitches we feel are ready to draft:
(If your name’s on this list, we encourage you to either pitch your idea to one of the sites in The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs, or write a full draft and submit it to lauren@beafreelanceblogger.com for publication as a traditional, unpaid guest post on Be a Freelance Blogger.)
Kat Loveland
Brett Guttormson
Williesha Morris
Cherese Cobb
Nicole Graham
Katherine Swarts
Jessica Benavides Canepa (Jessica, we already have your draft but if you want to make any changes to it, go ahead and send the updated draft to Lauren)
People we hope will bring their idea back to the NEXT Pitchfest, starting December 13th:
(If your name’s on this list, we love the concept of your pitch but we think you’ll need to revise it in line with our feedback before it’ll work on this blog.)
Issa Mirandilla
Rebecca Collins-Brown
Sarah B
Congratulations, everyone!
Winners, I’ll email you about your DataCracker prize before the end of this week. Please send your drafts to Lauren by November 8th, and have fun playing with your data.
Huge thanks to all the Pitchfest entrants for stepping up and getting their pitch on, and to all the people who took the time to share their thoughts and advice in the comments section. You rock. 🙂
See you next time! Mark it in your calendar now so you can get your pitch ready in advance: Pitchfest starts December 13th, and our theme will be “habits, resolutions and systems for change”.
Alicia Rades says
Congrats to the winners! These are all really good ideas.
Brett Guttormson says
Congrats to all the winners.
sarah says
Many many thanks Sophie and Lauren
and congrats to all who took part- awesome contest thoguth provoking entries and special thanks to you all for making me get off my… and make the pitch!
Honored to be in such great company and extra congrats to Amy- Killer blog title and great post idea- a deserved winner!
Sarah 😉
sarah says
OOPs- so excited- sorry about typos!!!
Marianne Griebler says
Woo hoo! Thank you, Sophie and Lauren! I am so excited. I’ve been daydreaming about what I could do with a year’s worth of DataCracker.
But especially, congratulations to Amy, Sarah and Belle! Can’t wait to read your posts. The contest lured me to the site, and I have to say I’ve really enjoyed the camaraderie. Now I have to get cracking (pun intended) on my final draft.
Belle says
Amy….you go girl! I’m so honored to be selected, and Marianne, especially thrilled to be tied with you. Not leaving you out Sarah. Your pitch actually was my fave. Sophie and Lauren…honestly, I am aghast. It’s the first time entering a writing contest for me and this has given me so much confidence! I love BAFB. You guys are awesome!
Kat Loveland says
Two pitchfests, two honorable mentions, hmmm. Now I’m getting competitive. I’ll send you a draft soon. 🙂
Sophie Lizard says
You can only move up from here, Kat! If we had more prizes to give away, you’d have been next on our list. 🙂
Cherese Cobb says
Congrats to all the winners! I’ll definitely be back on December 13th!
Issa Mirandilla says
Congrats to everyone who won!
And thank you Sophie and Lauren for the extra feedback! Will definitely return for the next Pitchfest 🙂
Amy Dunn Moscoso says
Wow! So excited – thank you Sophie and Lauren. I cannot WAIT to get a data-cracken on DataCracker! (And I have lots of plans for that $100.)
Congratulations everyone – I learned so much from the entries and had lots of fun at Pitchfest as always.
(Woo-hoo!)
Williesha Morris says
Congrats everybody! And thanks for the opportunity to work on this blog more. I will get back to you about submitting here if I don’t get another bite.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Congratulations to all of the winners! And thank you again to everyone who participated! I hope you all come back and pitch again in December. 🙂
Belle Walker says
Thanks Lauren, and thanks for your feedback. I have my post ready to submit. Could you email me directly with instructions on how you and/or Sophie would like to receive this?
Have a great one!!
Belle
Sophie Lizard says
Hi Belle (and other winners), email your draft to lauren@beafreelanceblogger in any common file format such as Word, OpenOffice, Google document or RTF. And if you use an uncommon word processing tool, paste your draft into the body of your email too as a backup in case we can’t open the attachment. 🙂 We’re looking forward to reading your posts!
Rebecca Collins Brown says
Congratulations you four! Sophie and Lauren had a tough job indeed. I was intrigued by all of your pitches and I cannot wait to see the finished posts! Loving this community.
Katherine Swarts says
I am so sorry, everybody: I apparently forgot to get on the follow-up-comments list, so I’m about a week late reading the official winners announcement as well as the comments on my own pitch! Congratulations, Amy, Sarah, Belle, and Marianne. And, Sophie and Lauren, thanks for appraising my pitch as good enough to sell!